In a recent blog post, I mentioned how one of the ways that you know you’ve reached a tipping point in your business is when you start getting the opportunity to work with corporate freelance clients.
In light of that, I figured it would be wise to explain how a freelance can get to that point in the first place. While it doesn’t happen overnight, there are certain things you can do to increase your chances of getting corporate freelance clients (and those corporate checks that come along with them!)
Find a niche.
If you want to get corporate freelance clients, you’re going to have to specialize in something. Period. Point blank.
Let’s take writing as an example. In theory, anyone can write. You can argue about the level of skill someone has, but ultimately it’s just a skill. On the other hand, it’s harder to find people who can write about money, or health, or fashion, or politics or any specific topic you can think of.
The same thing happens in the corporate world. They don’t necessarily hire someone for their skill, they hire them for the skill and area of expertise. They key is to find a niche that has a lot of opportunities.
Be professional.
If you want to get corporate freelance clients, you’re going to need to have a proven track record of being professional. This means turn stuff in on time, keep your clients in the loop of what’s going on, and produce the best work you possibly can.
If you can do this, you’ll overcome the “freelancers are flaky” stereotype and increase your chances of landing corporate freelance clients.
Create your own brand.
I’m pretty much convinced that part of the reason I’ve been able to a) get gigs pretty easily b) charge more money and c) start getting corporate clients is because I have an award-winning blog and have been working on increasing my social media following.
Let’s face it, if you have a proven track record and thousands of Twitter followers, you definitely look more attractive to corporate freelance clients. Media mentions, consulting and speaking gigs can also help tremendously in building your brand and making you look like a subject matter expert.
Get involved in your industry.
I don’t just write about money, I’m also pretty involved in the financial blogger community. I also go out of my way to talk to my market to see what’s going on in their heads and stay up-to-date on industry changes.
This helps me network, come up with ideas, and make a name for myself. Combine all these ingredients together and you’ve got the makings of someone who can land corporate freelance clients, whether it’s through a connection or writing a really good pitch.
Learn to market yourself.
If you want corporate freelance clients, you’re going to have to learn how to market yourself and sell your expertise. Very rarely will they just come to you unless you’ve already got a solid brand under your belt!
Sales and marketing may not be easy for people, but it is essential if you want to run an actual business. As I already mentioned, a skill alone won’t get you very far if you want corporate freelance clients.
